Cover, especially for plastic containers

ABSTRACT

Means for effecting sealing of a container in which the container is provided with a rim having plurality of openings therein and the sealing cover is provided with a plurality of barbs for engaging these openings. The above is adopted to provide seals which cannot be removed without destroying the seal by processors who do not have conventional sealing equipment.

United States Patent Leitz July 1, 1975 [54] V ESPECIALLY F TI 3.459515 8/1969 Labarre .1 215/253 CONTAINERS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 1 lflvemori Wilfried Mill, Kapellflnstrasse 2, 1,032,336 6/1966 United Kingdom 215/253 7812 Bad Krozingen. Germany 1,037,492 7/1966 United Kingdom U 215/253 [22] Filed: June 24 1974 6.605544 10/1967 Netherlands 215/321 Appl. No.: 482,394

Foreign Application Priority Data June 27, 1973 Germany 2332714 US. Cl. 215/253; 215/250; 215/321 Int. Cl B6Sd 41/32 Field of Search 215/253, 202, 211, 216,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith 215/211 Primary Examiner-Herbert F. Ross Attorney, Agent, or FirmBierman & Bierman [57] ABSTRACT Means for effecting sealing of a container in which the container is provided with a rim having plurality of openings therein and the sealing cover is provided with a plurality of barbs for engaging these openings. The above is adopted to provide seals which cannot be removed without destroying the seal by processors who do not have conventional sealing equipment.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures COVER, ESPECIALLY FOR PLASTIC CONTAINERS The invention relates to a container seal, especially for plastic containers. The object of the invention is the creation of a container seal by means of a cover fastened by snapping it on. The seal of this invention provides a guarantee against removal, except by reopening of the container by force which results in visible destruction of the sealing material. In addition the cover and the container opening which is adapted to the former in design may be produced in an especially easy manner by a plastic molding process.

This task is solved by the instant invention.

In accordance with the present invention, Barbs which take hold underneath the flange serve to provide a container seal with a cover easily mounted and locked in place by unskilled personnel and without the aid of any machinery whatever. This provides a secure, guaranteed seal, since the barbs cannot be loosened without destroying the cover. The seal is suitable for all types of plastic containers, and particularly for those earmarked for sealing at filling stations which are not equipped with sealing machinery, welding devices etc. The seal pursuant to the invention is especially suited for containers of mineral oil, bottles containing liquid foods, fish containers, or the like.

A further advantage of the invention is that flawless sealing, especially with liquid container content, is obtained particularly by the characteristic wherein the cover is provided with an annular collar adjusted to engage a recess provided in the container. Resealing after destruction of the guaranteed seal becomes feasible in accordance with another aspect of the invention, by providing sealing means on the cover which are independent of the abovementioned barbs.

Typical designs of the invention are shown by the way of example in the drawings.

FIG. I shows a sectional view of the upper part of a container designed in the form of a plastic bottle with a seal pursuant to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the annular flange of the container pursuant to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates in cross-section another typical design of the container seal.

FIG. 4 shows another typical design of the container seal in cross-section, at left in the unopened state, and on the right after opening and rescaling.

In the typical design pursuant to FIGS. 1 and 2 the opening of a container 1 shaped in the form of a plastic bottle is surrounded by a plane flange 2 having a rim of preferably rectangular holes 3 extending therethrough in an axial direction. A cover 4 designed in the form of a flat disk abuts on the flange 2. This cover has a rim of barbs 5 projecting in a downward direction. Each barb consists of a stem 6 and a hook-shaped head 7 with a beveled underside 8. The distance between the inner surface of the hook-shaped head 7 and the bottom side of the cover 2 equals preferably exactly the width of the flange 2, while the radial distance of the inner surface of the stem 6 from the container axis preferably equals the radial distance of the inner edge of the holes 3. When the barbs 5 are forced through the holes 3 on mounting of the cover 4, they are bent outward by the bevelings 8 sliding along the inner edges of the holes 3. The radial width of the holes 3 must be sufficiently large for this purpose, the barbs 5 subsequently latch on under the inner edge of the holes 3, holding the cover 4 immovable and undetachable against the flange 2. It can then no longer be detached without destruction of the barb. In this way, a removalproof seal is obtained which may, however, be easily mounted by hand and can consequently also be used at filling stations lacking special mechanical sealing equipment.

The typical design pursuant to FlG. 3 differs from the former only in that'an annular collar 9 whichis wedgeshaped in cross-section has been arranged by way of design inside the rim of barbs S at the bottom of the cover 4, whereby this collar engages on equally wedgeshaped annular recess 10 at the mouth of the container, thus providing a seal.

In the typical design pursuant to FIG. 4, the cover has been designed as a cup-shaped hollow body 11 exhibiting a flange l4 and provided with the barbs 5 for interaction with the holes 3 of the container flange 2. An annular rip-open area 12 with gripping strips I3 delimited by material-weakening lines has been arranged at a weaker site of the flange 14. The rip-open area 12 may be detached by pulling at the strip 13, thus separating the cover 11 from the flange 14. The flange 14 remains attached to the container flange 2. An inner part 15 of the flange 14 with the sealing wedge-shaped annular collar 9 remains in position at the cover I].

For rescaling by means of the cover 11 as shown in the right half of FIG. 4, the latter exhibits a sealing zone 16 in its upper part extending in an axial direction, and having such an outside diameter that the sealing surface 16 abuts with sealing pressure against the inner surface of the container orifice, when the cover is reversed and reinserted into the container neck. By means of an outer bead l7 gripping behind a respective inner bead 18 in the container orifice, the cover 11 is kept latched to the container 1. The necessary resilience of the sealing surface 16 and of the bead 17 is guaranteed by the unilateral (at 19) cup-shaped open fonn of the cover 11.

Deviations from the illustrated typical design are possible within the framework of the invention. In particular, the barbs 5 may be shaped differently, e.g. with hook-shaped heads pointing in an outward or circumferential direction, or with the hook-shaped heads projecting on both sides, and resilient in themselves.

Many modifications may be made in and to the above described embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art. It is intended to cover all such modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A container seal with a cover capable of being fastened on the container orifice by snapping it on, characterized in that the container orifice is surrounded by a flange having a rim of through perforations pierced axially, said cover having a rim of integral resilient barbs corresponding to said perforations, said barbs passing through said perforations and adapted to latch beneath the flange when the cover is placed on the container.

2. A container seal pursuant to claim 1, characterized in that the cover has an annular ripout zone located inwardly of the rim area of the barbs.

3. A container seal pursuant to claim 1 characterized in that an annular collar is arranged on said cover or said flange, a corresponding recess on the other of said cover or said flange, said annular collar engaging said recess.

4. A container seal pursuant to claim 3, characterized in that said collar and said recess are V-shaped in crosssection.

5. A container seal pursuant to claim 2, characterized in that the collar is placed inwardly of the annular ripout zone.

6. A container seal pursuant to claim 2 characterized in that the remains of the cover inwardly of the rip-out zone has an axial sealing zone for entering into the orifice of the container and for engaging the inner wall thereof to seal the container again after opening.

7. A container seal pursuant to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing zone is arranged on the side of the cover which is opposite the barbs prior to removal of the rip-out zone.

8. A container seal pursuant to claim 6 characterized in that an outer bead is provided on the insertion portion of the said sealing zone, and an inner head is pro vided in the container orifice and adapted to receive said outer bead, whereby said cover and said container orifice releasably engage and close said container after it has been once opened.

9. A container seal pursuant to claim 1, characterized in that the cover is constructed as one piece from plastic molded material. 

1. A container seal with a cover capable of being fastened on the container orifice by snapping it on, characterized in that the container orifice is surrounded by a flange having a rim of through perforations pierced axially, said cover having a rim of integral resilient barbs corresponding to said perforations, said barbs passing through said perforations and adapted to latch beneath the flange when the cover is placed on the container.
 2. A container seal pursuant to claim 1, characterized in that the cover has an annular rip-out zone located inwardly of the rim area of the barbs.
 3. A container seal pursuant to claim 1 characterized in that an annular collar is arranged on said cover or said flange, a corresponding recess on the other of said cover or said flange, said annular collar engaging said recess.
 4. A container seal pursuant to claim 3, characterized in that said collar and said recess are V-shaped in cross-section.
 5. A container seal pursuant to claim 2, characterized in that the collar is placed inwardly of the annular rip-out zone.
 6. A container seal pursuant to claim 2 characterized in that the remains of the cover inwardly of the rip-out zone has an axial sealing zone for entering into the orifice of the container and for engaging the inner wall thereof to seal the container again after opening.
 7. A container seal pursuant to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing zone is arranged on the side of the cover which is opposite the barbs prior to removal of the rip-out zone.
 8. A container seal pursuant to claim 6 characterized in that an outer bead is provided on the insertion portion of the said sealing zone, and an inner bead is provided in the container orifice and adapted to receive said outer bead, whereby said cover and said container orifice releasably engage and close said container after it has been once opened.
 9. A container seal pursuant to claim 1, characterized in that the cover is constructed as one piece from plastic molded material. 